Natural Dyeing Workshop - Ross Belton

Prism member Ross Belton and his partner Jonathan Dredge, otherwise known as moderneccentrics have been busy recently at the V&A in South Kensington delivering a natural dyeing course. This is what they have to say about it.

Ross and Jonny had such a great time back at the V&A South Kensington teaching their week-long intensive Natural Dyeing course last week. Working in the Art Studio in the Learning Centre (a much more suitable space with large windows, high ceilings and lots of natural light) it was an amazing if exhausting experience. Sold out months in advance again, they had such a lovely group of people to teach and spend time with. A massive amount of work is involved prepping for a natural dyeing course, and they are still recovering!

A wide range if natural dyes were covered - Walnut Hulls, Pomegranate Rind, Rhubarb Root and Buckthorn Bark for substantive dyes and Weld, Logwood, Sappanwood, Madder for adjective dyes. They also demonstrated Cochineal and Sticklac. They achieved such wonderful colours and the group was thrilled with the extensive sample set that they returned home with. Ross also prepped an Indigo Vat, as well as demonstrating a Woad and the 123 Vat method. On top of that they created 4 sample jars, using Rudbeckia, Marigold, Brown Onion skins and Common Yarrow (the latter two with added pieces of iron).

In addition to the hands-on dyeing, the group went on a guided gallery tour with curator Susan North looking at naturally dyed garments in the V&A’s British and Fashion Galleries and a talk on India’s natural dyes and their impact on global fashion with V&A curator Avalon Fotheringham, which really brought the history of natural dyeing to life. 

They will be running the course again, and have also been asked to deliver more advanced, three day weekend courses for the V&A Academy. 

You can read more about the course in their journal post and see a full set of images.